UN in great financial crisis: 6900 jobs required!

Due to financial bottlenecks, the UN plan to reduce 6900 jobs and to shorten the budget by 20%.
Due to financial bottlenecks, the UN plan to reduce 6900 jobs and to shorten the budget by 20%. (Symbolbild/NAG)

UN in great financial crisis: 6900 jobs required!

The United Nations (UN) face a dramatic financial crisis that leads to comprehensive austerity measures. According to an internal memorandum that Welt plans to release 6900 employees and one Budget reduction from 20 percent to a total of $ 3.7 billion. These measures are a direct reaction to the financial bottlenecks, some of which are due to the reduction in US contributions.

President Donald Trump has criticized the UN several times in the past and shortened the financial means. With almost a quarter of the UN's annual budget, the United States is the largest donor, but currently do not make any payments, which also tightens the situation. As part of the ongoing review "UN80", the savings are to be used more effectively, and UN control Chandramouli Ramanathan did not name any specific reasons for the lack of US payments.

scope of the cuts

The planned cuts are to come into force on January 1, 2026. Not only are personnel reduction intended, but it is also considered to reduce or merged UN departments. General Secretary Antonio Guterres expressed that the upcoming decisions will be "uncomfortable and difficult" and that the secretariat needs comprehensive reforms to react to the financial crisis.

The internal memo asks all UN employees to submit their suggestions for savings by June 13th. The current state has triggered a liquidity crisis, which is further tightened by late payments from China. Together, the United States and China contribute to the financing of the UN, which underlines the importance of punctual payments.

System of UN Finance

The funding of the United Nations is based on three by the Federal Center for Political Education Defined pillars: Member States and voluntary contributions for peace missions and voluntary contributions. The ordinary budget, the central organs such as the secretariat and the General Assembly is denied from the compulsory contributions of the members, whereby the amount of the budget is determined every three years.

The United States pays the maximum rate of 22 percent of the UN budget, followed by Germany with 8 percent. The cuts that are now considered are not only financial in nature, but also more strategy-some UN agencies are to be made more efficient by merging. In the background is the political crisis within the UN, which is reinforced by inadequate or late contribution payments.

Developments within the UN raise questions about the future financing policy and the resulting humanitarian programs. Richard Gowan from the International Crisis Group said that it was unclear whether the reductions will influence the attitude of the Trump government compared to the UN, while a spokesman for the US State Department pointed out to check the UN financing.

Details
OrtVereinte Nationen, New York, USA
Quellen